Roy and Riza's Fancy Party
by AllisonHargreeves
Summary: On an otherwise unassuming Friday, Team Mustang found invitations for an "exclusive get together" hosted by Roy on their desks. What they didn't know was that Riza was the one who had written it, and what they had planned for the night. Shameless Royai fluff (with hints of other ships) co written with PurpleMaple.
1. An Evening in Resembool

_Author's Note: This is a collaboration with PurpleMaple, who got me into writing again with this idea, and somehow made me even more of a royai shipper. Nothing belongs to us. Even the title, which is from Parks and Recreation. Enjoy our three month labour of love and let us know what you think! Second half coming soon. Set between episodes 5 and 6._

 _A.H and P.M._

 ** _Prologue_** _ **-An Evening in Resembool, 1910**_

[Alphonse] I can't sleep anymore, but I'm not sure that Mr. Mustang and Miss Hawkeye know that. Brother is asleep, though, he does that a lot. Even during the day when we'd usually be outside, or studying. I miss the sun. I'm not cold, but the warm was nice.

Mr. Mustang and Miss Hawkeye walked into our room a second ago. I don't know how late it is but both of them look so tired. I think they were supposed to leave earlier but Granny made them stay. No one fights with Granny and wins and I think both of them could tell.

"Roy." She sounds sad.

"They committed the taboo." Mr. Mustang sounds tough, but his eyes are as sad as Miss Hawkeye's voice. They're being quiet so they won't wake us but of course I can hear them.

"I've never seen eyes like that, not on a child."

Brother looks so broken. He sort of is, Winry and Granny are still working on his automail.

Mr. Mustang puts his arm around Miss Hawkeye and kisses her hair. It's almost the same colour as mine. As mine used to be. "They've had to deal with more in mere minutes than we did in an entire war. That doesn't make this ok."

"No, but it means you have to treat them with respect. They're alive and they're hurting and you should act accordingly." Miss Hawkeye seems nice. I want to tell them we were sorry, we didn't mean it. We'd tried before but I don't want to be yelled at again by Mr. Mustang. That seemed to just make everyone sad.

"Riza, I swear, I'll watch over them. But I'll need your help."

"You always do." She kisses him and if I had a body I would blush. Was this what love looked like? I'm not sure; I haven't ever seen it.

"Let's get some rest, we have a long journey ahead of us." When Mr. Mustang closes the door, I look at Brother. Still asleep. I wish he wasn't in pain. I wish a lot of things.


	2. An Evening in East City

_**Chapter 2- An Evening in East City, 1914**_

The invites were sitting on everyone's desks when they came in that morning. There was one on Riza's desk too, and she had to duck behind her work to hide her amusement. She had written it, after all. Roy was sitting at his desk, feet up, looking pleased with himself. After eyeing it for a minute Havoc opened the blue envelope. The others followed once they realized it was acceptable/safe to do so.

 _ **You are cordially invited to an exclusive get together hosted by Roy Mustang**_

 **Location- Royal Garden in East City**

 **Time- 6pm**

 **Attire- Black Tie (Uniforms are** **prohibited!** **)**

"6pm...tonight? That's short notice, boss." Did Havoc own anything fancy? He had to, somewhere.

"And why so sudden?" Fuery timidly added as he pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"Why not? Trust me, you're not going to want to miss this one." Roy grinned. "Besides, Madame Christmas is in town." Well, that settled it, of course the guys were going. She _had_ to bring some of the girls. Riza just rolled her eyes.

"And as a bonus, you're dismissed early today." They needed a little bit to get ready and they didn't trust the men alone in the office. This just added to the intrigue.

Everyone in the room immediately shot their gaze towards Roy.

"You're really letting us go early?" Falman asked, his eyebrows rising as he spoke.

"You're not planning anything are you?" Breda spoke as he narrowed his eyes at his commander.

"I'm not planning anything. Can't a innocent man spend some of his alchemist state funds on his subordinates once in awhile?"

"If you say so, sir." Riza made it clear in her tone she thought he had something up his sleeve. This was fun.

"Don't make me change my mind."

Once the occupants of the room realized how serious Roy's remark was, they immediately set to work to finish as much as possible.

Roy had gotten in early to distribute invites outside his own office, and he was expecting/dreading the call from Hughes.

 _BRRRING_

" _Speak of the devil…"_ Roy steadied himself as he reached for the phone at the edge of his desk and held it to his ear. Well, close to his ear. Half the time Hughes called him he was so excited he was already shouting. Roy's ears could only take so much of his best friend's...enthusiasm.

"Roy! Hear you're having a party! Can I bring anything other than my beautiful wife and daughter?" Roy was tempted to tell him to bring multiple handkerchiefs but stopped.

"No, no need. I'm assuming that means I'll be seeing you tonight then?"

"Of course! I need to call Gracia and let her know, she won't have any problem with your dress code, she has so many gowns, not as lovely as she is but-" Roy hung up the phone. He doubted Hughes would even notice.

Riza mentally checked off the Hughes family. Winry promised she'd get the brothers there, but not that Ed would be happy about it. He really hated to dress up.

" _The team, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes and his family, Madame Christmas and Roy's... sisters... who else is coming tonight?"_ She'd already heard from Rebecca, who was just as perplexed as to why Roy was suddenly throwing this thing but was more than up for a party.

They were going to have so much explaining to do.

The doors flew open, almost breaking as they crashed against the wall. "COLONEL MUSTANG!" Armstrong was beaming. "I AM HONOURED TO JOIN YOUR CELEBRATION THIS EVENING!" Ed was right on his heels, looking decidedly less pleased.

"No way am I dressing up for you Colonel Bastard!" His face was already red from anger at the thought of having to put on some kind of suit.

"Glad to know you'll be joining us too, Fullmetal. Though I would advise you watch your mouth. Women and children will be present."

"Don't worry Colonel, Winry and I will keep him in check." Alphonse spoke, for a large suit of armour, he could be extremely quiet when he wanted too.

"Speaking of which, why did I have to hear from Winry that we were going to this stupid shindig of yours?!"

"You found out from her because I was _not_ going to waste my resources trying to find you. Since she's your girlfriend I thought she would have the most up to date information on your whereabouts. It seems I was right."

"SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Ed's face matched the shade of his coat.

"WE WILL SEE YOU SOON, THAT IS A MOST BEAUTIFUL LOCATION." Armstrong picked up Ed in one arm and carried the screaming mess out of the room. Al met Riza's eyes for a moment and she smiled a little, only visible to the two of them. He had been so helpful.

 _ **-/-/-**_

Riza pretended to be angry, looking at the time. "Only the Colonel would be late to his own impromptu party." It was barely 6:30 but all their guests had arrived. Except one, of course. She knew he was lurking around somewhere. Madame Christmas hadn't disappointed; she had brought a group of Roy's 'sisters', who were charming all the guests. Especially one, and Rebecca was not thrilled.

"You okay there Rebecca? Usually you're all for these type of things. Gives you a better chance at finding that rich husband you've been looking for." Riza handed Rebecca her second glass of wine.

"Oh please Riza, I already know the majority of the people here. And none of them meet my standards." Rebecca took a sip of her wine, trying hard to avoid looking at the tall, handsome blond chatting up some girl across the garden.

Riza knew Roy was close by and heard them; he loved a dramatic entrance and had probably been waiting just to make one. The only man who could meet her own standards waltzed in with Vanessa on his arm and a grin on his face. "Welcome to the party, sir." His grin widened at the sight of her. She looked beautiful in her dark blue dress, though it he would prefer it to be much shorter. Not that she'd be wearing it for long...

"Look's like everyone's here! Eat, drink, be merry. Fullmetal, stop messing with your clothes." Ed was angrily adjusting his coat and red tie and glared at his superior.

"You're the one who insisted on the monkey suits."

"Then I'm glad you found a shrimp suit instead." Roy was still smiling, moving on to say hello to everyone else now that he was done with Ed. Seeing the steam come out Fullmetal's ears never failed to amuse.

Riza was scheming on how to get Rebecca and Havoc together, trying to keep distracted and her eyes off Roy. Unlike her, he didn't need to change and he was always so handsome in formalwear.

Besides, she was determined to get them to at least dance that night. Even if it meant a lot of wine.

She moved to Winry and the boys next. Al had tied a bow tie around his 'hair' for the occasion, one of the few who knew exactly how special that night was. Ed had tried to mock him but Al just smiled, well, a smile came through in his tone.

"You look very pretty Winry." The girl blushed. "And don't listen to the Colonel, Ed. I'm sure he appreciates you listening to him. Both you boys look very handsome."

"Glad he's happy because that's the last time I listen to him." He grumbled. Though a slight tinge of pink appeared on his cheeks and Al shuffled his feet and looked away after Riza's comment.

"Roy!" Hughes yelled to get his attention, waving him down from across the garden. Roy grabbed a glass of wine on his way over. He'd promised Riza he wouldn't drink but he had to calm his nerves...why did they have to wait any longer? " _Why can't she just go get ready already?"_

Vanessa kissed his cheek, going to join her 'sisters' after loudly informing him she'd be back. Roy turned his full attention to Hughes, who had 'that' look on his face.

"So who was that Roy? I didn't know you were seeing anybody recently."

"Vanessa is a good friend. And nothing more." Roy stated as he took a sip of his wine, wishing it was whiskey in order to help sate his nerves. _"Hurry up Riza!"_

"She certainly looks like wife material, well, not as good as MY wife Gracia. But I know someone who is a close second to my Gracia. And she came alone tonight **and** is standing over by those rose bushes." Hughes flicked his head in Riza's direction.

"Drop it Hughes. I know exactly who you're talking about." Roy raised his hand and started to count. "One-we are _just_ friends. Two-she is _not_ my type. Three-even if she was, and I was, interested..which I'm _not_ , there are the Fraternization Laws to contend with. It's never going to happen so drop it, grab a drink and enjoy your evening."

"A bit touchy tonight. Maybe you should spend some time with a girl. Speaking of girls.."

"Hughes continue with that sentence and I will set every single photo you have of your wife and daughter on fire, along with you."

Hughes made a zipping gesture in front of his lips before he went to find his wife and annoy the rest of the party attendees.

After they'd mingled for around an hour, it was just about that time. They'd planned to shock everyone as much as possible so they'd decided to have an actual little party first. Riza had been chatting with Havoc, putting a drink in his hand and saying something about how beautiful Rebecca looked. He turned pink and pretended not to notice, lighting up another cigarette before he finished the first. He _had_ noticed. Good.

She hadn't been nervous before this moment. Well, not as nervous as Roy, but that changed as soon as she approached Winry.

"Winry, would you mind giving me a hand?" She gestured to her hair, perfectly restrained in its clip as always, though it looked a little curlier than usual. "I can't quite fix this and Rebecca…" She laughed. "Well, Rebecca doesn't look so steady." The boys didn't see anything wrong with her hair, or with Rebecca, but they shrugged.

Girls.

Al was still brimming with happiness, trying not to let his brother see. As it got closer and closer he was having trouble playing along with being oblivious.

Elicia was rushing them anyway, having been put down by her mother and pointed in the direction of her big brothers.

"Of course! Let's go over here." Winry pulled Riza out of view and Gracia slipped away a moment later. Al had promised to keep an eye on Elicia, and keep her out of their way, while Riza was getting dressed. When she was safely away from the party she couldn't hold in her smile in anymore. Her husband was going to be so happy. And then so upset. And then so happy. And then so upset...

Roy had barely detached himself from Hughes before Grumman and Madame Christmas flanked him on either side. He was going to kill his foster mother.

"I happened to overhear your conversation. He's right, you know." Grumman grinned. "I've been saying the same thing for years. I have just the girl in mind too."

"I will not marry your granddaughter, General."

"Well you should marry someone, Roy, you're not getting any younger." Christmas pointed out, ashing her cigarette at her feet. She was enjoying this too much. From what he could tell, though, Grumman still had no idea.

"I'm only 29, Madame. I still have time."

"If you say so…"

"I DO say so!" " _Where the hell is Riza?"_

Winry, Riza, and Gracia heard Roy's voice carry across all the way to the makeshift dressing area they'd set up outside the main garden. They held back giggles, even though Riza was practically shaking. Were they really going to do this? It didn't feel real until Gracia helped her into the long, simple white dress. The woman didn't ask questions about her back, though Riza could feel them. If there was a single person on this earth she could trust to show her tattoo and scars to outside Roy, it was Gracia Hughes.

"It's ok to be nervous, you know." Gracia said with a soft smile as she removed Riza's red barrette. Her hair fell in soft, light curls down her back and she brought a few curls over her shoulder so they framed her face. Gracia placed a small, shining mother of pearl clip in Riza's hair to keep it out of her eyes on the other side. Christmas' contribution, something new. Riza took out her earrings and replaced them with her mother's, handing her normal ones to Gracia. Something old. Winry was working her something blue into the middle of her bouquet- Al had made her a small blue origami rose. The gesture had taken her by surprise and had Riza choked up when he'd given it to her the day before. She wasn't used to being fussed over, and it was a good distraction from her continued realization that she was about to get married, as well as shock the hell out of everyone she loved.

"Oh! We have Rebecca's flowers too, right?" She was _not_ going to be happy about being left out of the planning, but Riza had a small bouquet of bridesmaid's flowers for her, as well as one for her hair. Winry and Gracia each had a small peach rose perched in their hair and she had made sure they'd set aside the same for her maid of honour.

"You ready Riza?" Gracia asked as she laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

She took a deep breath. "Yes." _I think so._ Riza adjusted her hair. "How do I look?"

Winry beamed. "So beautiful. I can't wait to see Colonel Mustang's face."

"Wait!" Gracia had almost forgotten. "Something borrowed." Her eyes flashed mischievously as she handed her the garter. "From my own wedding day." Riza smiled and slid it on, making sure to hide the one on her other leg, holding her favourite gun in place. Just in case. She didn't want it taken from her by the women...they didn't understand the compulsion to be armed.

"Thank you for all your help." Riza said, smiling, as she stood. "I guess it's time, huh? Please go and give the signal."

Roy was about to lose his mind by the time Winry peeked her head around the corner. He didn't think anyone could smile that wide as she nodded at him. " _FINALLY_."

"Hughes, General, Madame Christmas, if you want me to get married _**so**_ damn badly.." He started loudly, tried to keep up the angry tone but couldn't. "Well then I guess today's your lucky day." Roy turned around and held out his hand as Riza emerged from behind the hedges, Gracia and Winry in tow. God, she was so beautiful, for a moment he forgot anyone else was even there.

Everyone immediately stopped their conversations to stare at Riza as she took Roy's outstretched hand. No one seemed to know what to say. Grumman was the first to break the silence.

"I told you to marry my granddaughter! Glad you listened!" He cackled, hugging Riza. Roy tried his best to hide his surprise...how had he not known the man had been talking about her? " _Damn sneaky General_."

Once he moved, the entire garden exploded in noise, questions, and at least one dropped wine glass. They could hear frantic coughing from somewhere in the din. It seemed Havoc had choked on his cigarette, and Fuery was smacking him on the back to try to help and only making it worse.

Rebecca rushed Riza, almost knocking her over as she wrapped her arms around her. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I'm sorry." Riza said sheepishly. "The frat laws made this difficult...we made sure no one serving in the military with us knew. But...would you be my maid of honour?" Winry approached her and held out the remaining bouquet and flower. Rebecca took it and laughed. How could she say no?

Roy was being bombarded at the same time by Hughes. Team Mustang was completely still, all 4 in total shock.

Hughes hugged Roy, then pulled back, then hugged him again. "What the hell, Roy?!" He was rotating between emotions as quickly as his wife and best friend had anticipated.

Roy laughed. "Sorry Hughes, but we had to keep this quiet. There's kind of a law against this sort of thing."

"But Roy! I've been planning your wedding for years! And my darling Gracia how could you hide this from me?!"

Gracia looped her arm through her husband's and kissed his cheek sweetly. "We didn't tell you because you wouldn't be able to keep it a secret." He looked hurt but she clarified. "You'd be too happy. I saw the album for their wedding you've been working on. And Riza needed my help." Hughes still seemed like he was upset until he saw Elicia walk out with Winry, a basket full of flower petals in her grasp. Oh he was still mad, but much less so.

Elicia let go of Winry's hand, running to her parents. "I'm the flower girl!" She beamed, proud of herself. She wasn't sure exactly what it meant but she knew it was special.

Hughes scooped her up. "And you'll be the best flower girl! As I recall Roy, you were saying something about Riza not being your type earlier?" He raised his eyebrows and tried his best to be mad. But his Gracia and Elicia were so beautiful!

"So I'm not you type then?" Riza questioned from Roy's side. Roy immediately paled.

"NO! I was lying! You know you're the only women for me! I had to say something! I was so nervous it just came out!"

Riza stared directly into Roy's panicked eyes, her face the epitome of stoic, before she let a devious smirk appear on her face.

"I know, I just wanted to see you sweat a little."

"You're cruel." Roy let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. She smiled and nodded. Like he wasn't already a mass of nerves…it didn't help when she let go of his hand, going to move among their guests. They were inside a large, open space hidden in the main garden in East City. The location in the garden had been Gracia's idea, knowing their privacy concerns, and it was a beautiful place, surrounded by hedges high enough to keep the entire party hidden completely, even Armstrong. A small fountain sat in the center lit from below, surrounded by rows of flowers that also lined the hedges. Riza didn't know most of their names but she knew they were perfect. Everything had come together after all. She shook her head slightly, still not believing that they were actually doing this. All they had to do was say hello to everyone and then they could get on with it….

She spotted Winry with Ed and Al. The girl had been bouncing around doing so much work behind the scenes she hadn't had time to deal with Ed yet. He seemed to be at a loss, starting to mouth words and then stopping.

"Thank you for your help, Winry. And you too, Al." Riza realized Al hadn't told Edward he had been in on the secret when Ed turned, staring daggers at the suit of armour Al was very glad to be wearing.

"YOU BOTH KNEW ABOUT THIS AND DIDN'T TELL ME?!" Ed shrieked. Winry was bad enough, but how had Al kept a secret from him?

"Sorry Brother, I found out by accident. But not even Lieutenant Colonel Hughes knew!" He held up his hands in surrender.

"It's true, Ed, he was a little too perceptive when you were younger." Riza laughed lightly. "I think you're the first person to have known about us, Alphonse."

"WHAT?" Winry wished they'd let her bring a wrench, instead, she only had a fist to hit him with.

" _That_ is why you didn't know. They can hear you in Central, Ed. And this isn't about you." Winry glared and Ed rubbed the spot on the side of his head, wincing and nodding. He wasn't done with Winry or Al but he could put that to the side as a favour to Lieutenant Hawkeye. Not Colonel Bastard though.

Winry decided to ignore him and hugged Riza. "Thank you for letting me help out, this has been so much fun. And I was right, Colonel Mustang's face when he saw you.." Now it was Riza's turn to blush, and she finished up with the kids quickly. She heard laughter and turned to see her future husband swept up in Major Armstrong's embrace, looking like the air was being crushed out of him. It probably was.

"Put me down!" Roy protested, gasping for breath. The tears streaming down Armstrong's face could fill the fountain a few times over.

"COLONEL MUSTANG IT IS AN HONOUR TO BEAR WITNESS TO YOUR WEDDING!" Armstrong looked at Riza when she tapped his arm.

"Please release him, or you'll bear witness to his funeral." He put Roy down, who was about 5 seconds away from passing out. Which was a poor choice on her part. She was his next target.

"LIEUTENANT HAWKEYE, YOU MAKE A MOST BEAUTIFUL BRIDE!"

"Don't you dare give me a hug that has been passed down the Armstrong family for generations."

"I WOULD NOT WISH TO BRING HARM TO A BRIDE ON HER WEDDING DAY! I ONLY WISH TO EXPRESS MY JOY OVER YOUR ENGAGEMENT!"

"Armstrong, we are trying to keep this a secret, there is no need to shout."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry."

"That is quite alright, no harm done." Riza gave him a reassuring smile.

"Except to my eardrums." Roy muttered.

Now that he was free, Roy was surrounded by his team.

"Congrats boss." Havoc said, grinning and slapping him on the back. "This a prank?"

"No prank, Havoc. You ok?" His subordinate was still a little green from swallowing one of his beloved smokes and just nodded.

"You definitely had us fooled, Colonel." Fuery stated, and the rest nodded in agreement. "If I may, sir, how long has…." he trailed off.

"Longer than you've known us." It looked like he shocked them again and Roy laughed. "Good, by your faces, we've been successful keeping our relationship quiet. By being here, we're trusting that you won't do anything to change that." Roy's voice took on a serious, almost cold tone as he ensured he made eye contact with each of his friends to know that he was serious.

"Of course not. Congratulations, sir." Falman shook Roy's hand.

After another round of well wishes and the team having moved on to congratulate Riza, Roy found Hughes again. He was playing with Elicia, showing her what to do with the flower petals in her basket.

"Hey, Maes, I have a favor to ask." His friend looked up, attempting to seem angry but being extremely unsuccessful. "I could use a best man, if you'd be up for it." If he had any unbroken bones left from Armstrong's hug, Hughes took care of them with his own.

" _My friends are going to kill me before I can get married."_ It was easier to get away from Hughes, though, and Roy raised an eyebrow. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Of course it's a yes! You were the best man at my wedding, it's only fair I return the favour!"

Gracia had been keeping an eye on the time, knowing that if someone didn't no one would stop asking them questions and congratulating them. It was already later than Roy and Riza thought but she'd set aside more than they told her to….it was like they didn't know what their announcement would do to everyone. She looked at Roy and nodded.

" _Thank God."_ "If everyone could follow me, please." Roy gestured and started walking, and the group followed him as they were told. Riza, Winry, Rebecca, Gracia, Elicia, and Grumman hung back.

Roy led the party over to a more secluded location further in the gardens they'd set up for the actual wedding. He stood under an arch wrapped with ivy and twirling vines of roses, in front of a few rows of chairs for their guests. Unlit lanterns were sprinkled throughout the area but otherwise they had decided to forgo most decorations. The simpler the better after all, but Roy had spotted the arch and it had kicked his romantic side into gear. Maes stood at Roy's side with Pinako on his other, who had been happy to perform the ceremony. Hayate sat at Pinakos feet. He was to be the ring bearer, and was being more patient than the majority of guests in attendance.

After everyone took their seats and quieted down, Hayate gave a bark as a signal for the ceremony to start. Elicia entered first and threw flower petals along the aisle, helped along by her 'big sister.' Gracia and Rebecca followed behind Winry and Elicia, all of them smiling happily. When they were in position Riza walked in with Grumman at her arm. Once Grumman relinquished his hold on his granddaughter and handed her to Roy, he took his seat near the front.

Roy reached into his pocket and pulled out the gloves he'd snuck in. He felt Riza's rich eyes bore into him as he snapped his fingers. Unlike when he was in combat, where the flames were quick and powerful, they seemed to float on air as they ignited the paper lanterns in the trees above them. They lit each wick with a gentle caress, almost hiding the power that flame alchemy could bring forth. It also represented something more than the destruction and turmoil that it usually did...this was life and happiness. Roy let a genuine smile appear on his lips as he watched Riza slowly glow more and more with each spark. She was truly captivating. And as the last lantern was lit the fire snaked around Riza, starting at her feet and slowing rising, curling around her. It wasn't close enough to injure her, but enough to gently grace her with its warmth before being extinguished above their heads.

"Show off." Roy could hear someone scoff, probably Fullmetal. But he couldn't care less; all of his attention was focused on the love of his life.

Roy took this moment to fully admire Riza. Her dress was high backed, to cover their darkest secret. It was short sleeved and fairly simple, and fit her figure perfectly. There was a sash around her waist with small white crystals forming an intricate design on the front portion while the rest of the dress fanned out slightly and extended fully to the ground. Roy took note earlier that there was a slit in the dress that revealed a portion of her leg, much to his pleasure. She wore small heels and was still shorter than him, though the difference was barely distinguishable. He was glad she didn't wear a veil and tiara. He wouldn't be able to see her if she was wearing a veil, and that was just not going to work for him. He loved her just the way she was and he wanted to take in every little detail and engrain it into his memory for the rest of his life.

Riza knew that Pinako had been speaking only when the old woman looked at Roy expectantly. She'd been too wrapped up in staring at him the same way he did her. He was as handsome as always but there was a lightness in his face she hadn't really seen before. They couldn't risk taking pictures so she had to do the next best thing and memorize this moment.

Riza, I…" he cleared his throat. He'd thought about this for so long he hadn't thought about the actual moment. Just standing there, looking at her…

Riza cleared her throat after he did, a small smile on her face. Reminding him of his job, as she always did.

The only problem was, he'd watched his meticulously planned speech float through the air and out of reach as soon as he laid eyes on her. So he focused on her face instead, and found all the inspiration he needed.

"You deserve the best, sure as hell better than me. You don't put up with my crap, never have. You've watched my back. Now it's my turn to watch yours. From this moment on, I swear to you I'll do everything to prove I'm worthy of you. I'll follow you into hell if you ask me to. Apparently the road there is a two way street." They both laughed quietly at the inside joke. He paused again for a moment.

"Because... I love you. More than I've said. More than I could ever say. I took too long to tell you but I won't stop, not for a moment, not for the rest of my life."

Hayate had the ring tied around his collar in a little bag, but when Roy pulled it out he dropped it straight to the ground.

"Shit." He muttered. Pinako tapped him lightly on the head, about 10% of what her normal wrath would be.

"Nice going butter gloves!"

Pinako somehow shot both Roy and Ed the most terrifying glance either had seen, at the exact same time. Ed went silent and Roy apologized to her under his breath. She gave him the order to place the ring on Riza's finger, and he stopped worrying about the kid, and everything else. Most of his focus shifted to wondering if she liked the ring at all. What if she hated it? The white gold ring was plain for the most part, until it got to the section holding the small but noticeable circular ruby. Intricate swirls fanned out around it, blending back down into the band. It gave the ring a uniqueness that reflected its new owner. And once the ring was fully on her finger, it fit perfectly, like it was created with her in mind.

She had wanted to tell him as soon as she saw it that the ring was perfect and when his gaze met hers, she conveyed as much. He relaxed and the light flowed back into his eyes, replacing the worry that he'd chosen poorly. They smiled at each other, until Pinako got their attention again.

"Riza, your vows?"

" _Oh."_ Right. Her turn. How could she say anything as meaningful as what Roy had told her? Of course she would choke on her wedding day. She was so used to keeping her walls up, but the man in front of her brought those walls tumbling down and it felt like she couldn't remember a day before Roy. _"That's it."_

"Around the military I'm the strict, no nonsense, taskmaster Lieutenant. But you're one of the few people that have been able to break through and see beyond that. I know I didn't let you for a long time but you're so stubborn...no emotional walls ever had a chance."

She took a moment to breath deeply. Roy, still holding on to her hand, gave her a reassuring squeeze. Silently urging her to continue, always the steady rock in her life.

"That doesn't mean I know what to say to explain how much I love you, or how I realized I did. One day you were there, filling a hole in my life I didn't know existed. Even after you left my father's house we kept colliding." She was about to mention the war but changed her mind. "We were so stupid not to say anything back then but we have the rest of our lives to make up for lost time." She retrieved his white gold wedding band from Hayate and slid it onto his finger.

Roy and Riza barely registered the final word's Pinako spoke, oddly enough the only word they managed to hear was kiss. And that was exactly what they did. Roy wrapped his arm around Riza, pulling her close to the cheers and applause of their friends. But they didn't register the noise, the only thing they could hear was the blood pounding in their ears at the prospect of spending the rest of their lives with the person they loved. Roy felt a nudge and saw Hughes, tears streaming down his face while grinning wildly at the same time. "You guys, there are children present." The both turned red as they faced the crowd, looking out over their nearest and dearest.

"Everyone go home and grab an overnight bag and meet us at the train station! Don't bother changing." Roy proclaimed, his arm never leaving Riza's waist.

"Why do we need to do that?" Hughes asked. Roy turned to address his friend, a mischievous grin making its way onto his face.

"We still need a reception, and the Armstrong Manor has graciously opened its doors and allowed us to continue the party there."

Everyone turn their gaze to Alex Armstrong, who held his hands up in an innocent gesture.

"First I've heard of this."

"Isn't the whole point of this to keep it secret?" Breda asked, "You can't have Hawkeye showing up to a crowded station in a wedding dress, it's kind of a giveaway."

"Don't worry we bought out the entire East and Central Train Station as well as all the tickets. No one is going to see."

"This is the only time we'll be able to celebrate for as long as the Frat laws are still in place so we hope to see all of you at the station in 30 minutes." Riza tried not to think about the last part. They'd promised each other they'd take the day to not worry about the laws but it was hard...they'd ruled their lives for a long time. But not tonight.

The attendees looked at each other before following their request and heading to their respective homes or hotels to pack a bag.

"Well I think that went well. What do you think?"

"I think it went well considering the surprise but the party isn't over yet. we should get to the train station and make sure everything is ready."

When Riza made to pull out of Roy's grasp, he quickly pulled her against his chest and crushed his lips against hers, kissing her senseless.

"What was that for?" Riza replied after they separated, trying to regain her breath.

"After tonight is over we will have to go back to commander and subordinate. I want to enjoy as much time as I can as husband and wife. And that means kissing you until you pass out." Roy went to recapture her lips with his own, only to feel Riza's finger press against his lips.

"You can do that later, lover boy. We need to head to the station now."

Roy playfully rolled his eyes.

"Ever the taskmaster."

Riza smiled before pecking his lips then leading him towards the exit of the garden, hand in hand.


	3. An Evening in Central

_A/N: Can't figure out how a short one shot turned into this, but tada!. Epilogue will go up Wednesday because Purple has much too much faith in Allison._

 _Enjoy! And to our lovely Guest, we weren't exaggerating that's for sure, thank you for the awesome review!_

 _PS: It would take too much time to list all the ships we hinted at soo let's just go with 'contains some of all the ships'._

 _P.M and A.H._

 _ **Chapter 3-An Evening in Central, 1914**_

It only took a few hours to get from East City to Central, thanks to Christmas' present of the train for the trip. Shouts of congratulations mixed with reminders that the bride and groom had some explaining to do carried through the cars. Team Mustang had split off to play cards, also known as gossip. Roy and Riza floated between everyone, joining in conversations and making sure they were all having a good time while they traveled. Though they spent the majority of the ride in their private compartment.

The unruly group disembarked and were immediately ushered into waiting cars to take them the rest of the way. If anyone asked, Mustang had thrown a party that had gotten out of hand. It fit the image of himself he'd crafted perfectly, and wasn't a complete lie. As long as no one saw his wife in her dress, everything was easily explained. It was worth the risk...Roy couldn't look away from her. At that moment, more than any other during the day, he wished they could've safely taken pictures. He wanted to be able to look at the smile on her face, the way she glowed, and how happy she was, all the time. It was up to his memory now.

"Are you sure I shouldn't have changed, just for the trip?" Roy's arm was around her waist as he guided Riza towards their car.

"The risk is minimal and besides, it may be a while before we can go public with this. Maybe years. You should enjoy the time you have to be a bride. And besides, that dress is very becoming, _Mrs_. _Mustang_." Roy whispered into Riza's ear. She smiled but shook her head at him, sliding into the car. Always laying on the charm.

"Being fussed over felt strange, even if was my friends doing it. But this...this feels nice. _Mr_. _Mustang_." The car started and she leaned against him. Relishing the moment of silence before the inevitable chaos the party was sure to bring. They knew their dramatic reveal would be dramatic but they weren't planning on the level of upheaval they'd caused. Both had taken for granted how much they were cared for, and how many had apparently been seriously rooting for them.

In the other cars, their guests buzzed with gossip. Roy and Riza had barely given them any details and they had waited, unsuccessfully, for information on the ride into Central. Even those who were aware of their engagement kept their mouths shut; it wasn't their story to tell. Ed had barely been able to keep his temper in check during the ceremony, but now that he didn't have to put on airs for Hawkeye, he turned his ire towards his brother and best friend.

"So you two knew about this?!" Winry took a deep breath and Al sighed. "And what did she mean, Al? How did you know about them 'first'?

Al wrung his gloved hands, considering the pros and cons of finally telling his brother. He didn't keep anything from him, but this had been a secret he'd carried as almost an afterthought after so much time.

"Do you remember when they came to see us the...the first time?" Al wasn't sure how to phrase that awful day. Ed just nodded, but had the good sense to stay silent. "Nobody knew I...that I couldn't sleep. The Colonel and Lieutenant came to talk about us but didn't know I could hear. I saw them and they acted so differently. They dropped the military facade, and I truly saw two people who loved each other. I didn't really get it then...but then the next time we saw them I figured it out." He paused. "I promised Lieutenant Hawkeye I wouldn't say anything to anybody when I asked her about it. They already have enough hardships without anything else getting in their way. I don't even think Colonel Mustang knows I know about them. Sorry, Brother." He cast his gaze towards the ground.

Ed shook his head. He wasn't mad at Al. He wasn't sure who he was mad at but he was definitely mad. Winry could see the look on his face and she was just as annoyed at him for being cranky on such a happy day.

"Come on Ed, can't you just be nice for one night? That's all they get and they asked us to be here. They wanted us at their wedding. They care about you and I know you care about them too, so stop being such a jerk."

"Stupid military." There...that was what Ed was angry at. What good did that stupid Frat Law actually do?

Winry watched his face soften and smiled a little. "Tonight, you'll be nice to both of them- BOTH of them." She cut him off when he raised his hand to compromise over Mustang. Ed could hear Al's armour squeak as he nodded in agreement. Two against one...plus, he really was glad to see Hawkeye enjoying herself for once.

"Fine." He grumbled, arms crossed. "I'll be nice, even to Colonel Bastard. Even an ass like him should be happy, I guess."

There were more than enough vehicles but all of Team Mustang crammed into one car. "300 cenz says this is a prank." Havoc declared. He knew them too well for them to have fooled him so completely. There was no way.

"No!" Fuery shook his head. "You saw them! They're for real." His eyes were dreamy.

"It would be a lot of expense to go to as a joke." Falman mused. "1000 cenz says they're serious."

"I don't see why you need to bet! It is genuine and not a prank! You can tell they have serious feelings for each other!" Fuery proclaimed, happy tears threatening to spill over at any moment.

"Because this is some sort of weird surreal dream, where Hawkeye wears a dress and laughs and actually agrees to spend time with the boss. Like, the rest of time. I place bets because otherwise I feel like I'm losing my mind." Havoc laughed.

"I don't even see the point in betting to be honest," Breda spoke "if you're going to bet be a man and put more money into it!"

"Ok, ok, how about this- if no one shakes me awake from my desk and proves this isn't some kind of canteen-lunch induced fever dream, 2,000 cenz to Breda." Havoc had already stocked up on plenty of liquid courage after Hawkeye had pointed his eyes at Rebecca. He would probably regret...most of what he did in the morning.

The evening was so light hearted they barely knew what to do with themselves. For once, death and destruction weren't on the radar. It was a rare feeling and they were making the most of it.

Major Armstrong's car was the first to pull up to his family home and he got out, looking around with a frown. Everything seemed fairly normal...the rest followed behind in a few minutes and he opened the immense front doors with trepidation.

The mansion had been decorated from top to bottom and looked like a reception for a hundred people, not a handful. Mercifully, it seemed to have been decorated with them in mind. Roy had been half expecting to see flexing Armstrong statutes, not delicate ornaments and balloons. He would be lying if he said he wasn't relieved.

And in the middle of the main ballroom, surrounded by flowers and balloons, was Olivier leaning on her sword. She seemed to have as much knowledge of the evening's plans as her brother and in a single second, the siblings were facing off.

"DID YOU-" They said in unison, then stopped.

"Your men were here when I arrived." She sneered, gesturing to a terrified Ross and Brosh standing at attention. "Though everything seems to have been in place already. They claim you have no knowledge of why our ancestral home looks like the reception for a…."

The guests trailed in and the General seemed to be getting a grasp on things. "Alex." It was like his name automatically had a sigh accompanying it whenever she said it. "What's going on here?"

The bride and groom were the last to arrive, and all General Armstrong had to go on until they came inside was the sobbing of her brother. Her aunt came out of absolutely nowhere and laid a hand on her arm.

"Alex had nothing to do with this, Olivier. He's very….emotional, and this isn't something we could risk getting out. But we had to do something for the happy couple and knew you would both approve." It was simultaneously a statement and a warning to behave.

The happy couple. So she had been right. Her ancestral home was being used for a wedding. But she was not expecting Mustang and Hawkeye to walk into HER home, arms around each other, while mostly strangers cheered like animals in a zoo. Though her frown did waiver upon seeing Lieutenant Hawkeye. They weren't close, but she respected other women who could hold their own in the military and the Hawk's Eye certainly did that.

"Colonel, it seems I have something to congratulate you for. Before that, though, Lieutenant, is this some kind of hostage situation?" She eyed them both.

"Good to see you, General, and no, no hostages. She's here on her own free will." Roy tried not to smirk but couldn't quite pull it off. They were finally married. Even Olivier's scariest scary face couldn't get to him.

"I'm not sure that a woman such as Lieutenant Hawkeye would be foolish enough to fall for your pitiful tricks, Mustang."

"When I fell, there weren't any tricks. He hadn't learned any yet." She didn't need to look to see the red creep across his face. Olivier raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the couple. Interesting.

"Aaaaaaand that's enough of that, I'm sure we'll see you later, General." Roy practically dragged Riza away. He was not a fan of blushing and had already done plenty today without the added blackmail Olivier Armstrong would provide.

Instead he drew the attention of the entire crowd. "Everyone, do as we said before- be merry! We'll explain everything in due course. But for now, we only ask you be as happy as we are. Or, at least, close." Riza elbowed Roy in the ribs, informing him to lay off the 'charm' for the night. She had some matchmaking to do, so she squeezed his hand and disappeared from his side. Roy couldn't help but frown, wanting to reach out to keep her with him for as long as he could.

"What do you think of this party, Madame Christmas? I'm surprised your boy was able to pull this off, right under the military's nose. But even he couldn't do it alone, and I have a hunch you had a hand in this as well." Grumman looked at his friend over the rim of his glasses as he neared her. The Madame just smirked before taking a sip of her whiskey, her gaze never leaving his.

"Fine you caught me. Roy-boy called me a few months back asking for my help. He knew I was owed some favours from people in high places. So I was able to make a few calls and when the day arrived, the girls and I headed to East City under the guise that we were scouting out locations for a new bar."

Grumman just shook his head.

"You know you could have called me. I would have been more then happy to pitch in and help make my granddaughter's big day special."

"Please, knowing you. You would be walking around Eastern HQ wearing the biggest, stupidest grin on your face. And would have given them away. You should stick to chess, your poker face needs some work."

"So they've been planning this for months, hmm?" Grumman was impressed. He had been right about Riza and Mustang being quite the pair, just as he'd thought.

The bride in question surveyed the scene in front of her, looking for Rebecca. Gracia was upstairs, the Armstrongs having provided a beautiful room for Elicia far away from the noise of the reception. She had already fallen asleep on the train, but had woken up and insisted that she take part with the grown ups. The few hours on the train proved the party was barely a place for Winry and the Elrics, let alone a toddler. Riza had wondered in passing if the kids would try to sneak drinks, but the adults were her main concern. She couldn't see her husband- _husband-_ she couldn't get used to the word, it didn't feel real _-_ anywhere, but that was a problem for later, he was no doubt cornered the moment she'd let go of his hand. Her first priority was getting Rebecca and Havoc in the same place….she had a good feeling about the two of them.

"Becca!" She smiled, finally spotting her with Maria and Olivier.

"I still don't quite believe that you agreed to attach yourself to that man for the rest of your life." Olivier shook her head when she got to the group. Riza laughed, the tone light and airy. She'd kept her drinking to a minimum… a sober host was a good host. Besides, champagne went to her head and she already felt like she was floating. She didn't think she'd ever laughed and smiled this much in her life.

"Even if we weren't married, he'd need me to keep an eye on him. He's…." She couldn't finish before she saw a whoosh of flame in the corner. _Roy. What. Is. Wrong. With. You._

He knew she would be at his side within moments. "They provoked me." He didn't turn to look at her, he could feel the daggers in her eyes just fine. No one was on fire, at least. The rest of their team didn't seem terribly concerned, and no one was smoking or singed.

"Mmm. And what did they do, exactly?" From what she could tell, Roy had just fired a 'warning shot', just snapping his fingers to startle them.

"Made bets about whether or not we were serious. And then they kept it up after the ceremony!" He realized it sounded stupid as soon as the words left his mouth. Riza rolled her eyes, kissing him lightly in front of the others, giving them more of a shock than Mustang had.

"They always make bets about you." Just because she didn't take part didn't mean she didn't know they were constantly putting money on "if Mustang does…" or "I bet he'll…."

If the men's jaws had hit the floor at her show of affection, Roy's joined them. She sighed. "If you haven't noticed them constantly exchanging money, you're more hopeless than I thought." He sputtered, trying to cover his surprise. He _would_ have noticed, if Riza didn't sit so damn close and drew so much of his attention. Hughes saved him without knowing it, though. The sound of metal hitting glass turned everyone's attention to the base of the stairs outside the ballroom, where the best man stood. His eyes were bright and his grin worried Roy. What…

"I believe, as the best man, I'm supposed to make a toast. Roy, Riza?" He gestured for them to come forward from the small crowd. They each shot the other a look of _'how much did you let him drink?'_ , neither having an answer and Gracia still upstairs with Elicia. It was enough that his eyes were already welling up. Everyone was presented with a flute of champagne, even the kids, if only for the first toast.

"I've known Roy for a long, long time. Once he told me that talking about your sweetheart on the front lines meant you'd never see them again. Only….I mentioned mine and she didn't just stay, his showed up. It doesn't matter that tonight is the "one" night to celebrate how much you love each other. Because that's not true. You've been celebrating since the letters you were writing, Roy, claiming to be sending them to a girl back home-instead of a girl just across camp. And you'll continue to celebrate until we're all here again, making the same toasts with even more pomp and circumstance. I wasn't sure Roy would be someone to get married at all...until I saw him look at Riza the first time. I felt bad for whatever girl he was writing to because clearly he only had eyes for one woman. And, _yes_ , I may have started having a few ideas about their future wedding back then, and _yes_ , it may fill at least one album right now, but seeing them act on it... " Hughes was finally too choked up to finish. "Cheers." He managed, raising his glass and wiping his eyes.

"Cheers!" Their guests shouted in return, raising their glasses as well.

Christmas squeezed Hughes shoulder, gently nudging the crying man towards his quickly approaching wife.

"I have something to say as well, before the dancing starts. Which, there will be dancing, Roy-boy." Christmas gave her nephew a look that quickly silenced any retort he had. She knew he could dance, she taught him herself.

"It's not on paper, but that doesn't matter. We're all here to finally see two people obviously in love admit it. I speak on behalf of everyone present when I wish you a prosperous and joyful future. May you achieve all your goals together. And I'm happy to _finally_ welcome you into our family, Riza. Took you kids long enough. To Mr. and Mrs. Mustang."

"To Mr. and Mrs. Mustang!" The entire crowd screamed at the top of their lungs. They didn't know when they'd get to say it next so they said with the emotion they might have to hide for God knows how long.

"And, continuing in the spirit of tradition…" Roy groaned and Madame Christmas was still close enough to smack him upside the head. He hushed immediately, properly chastised. This was his wedding, too….but he knew better than to keep mouthing off and resigned himself to his fate, whatever that may be. "Riza, you had a bouquet before?"

Suddenly Winry was at her elbow holding a bunch of flowers and Christmas nodded at her approvingly. She had grown fond of the girl over the course of planning the wedding and couldn't have asked for a better right hand. Though she had no idea where Winry got all that energy. Riza, a wicked smile on her face, didn't even try to fake a 'random' bouquet toss. They knew her too well for that, she was literally famous for her aim. She let the bouquet fly in a perfect arc, landing at Rebecca's feet. Her glare was countered by a pure, angelic smile and shrug from Riza.

At least it was followed by a tradition Roy could get behind. He had rolled his eyes at all the 'traditions' that had gone along with his decidedly untraditional wedding, but was okay with this whole garter toss thing.

A chair had been produced from behind them, and his wife was practically pushed into the seat in front of him by Rebecca, returning Riza's mischievous smile from earlier. He was instructed to retrieve the garter off Riza's thigh and he happily bent down to oblige. Reaching under her dress, Roy almost immediately jolted back. Where there was supposed to be warm flesh, he was met with cold steel. She bit back a smirk as he delicately removed the handgun and placed it on the floor. Raucous laughter filled the hall as the guests realized what had happened.

"You were armed at our wedding?!" Only Roy seemed surprised.

"The safety's on and everything." She smiled, leaning over and whispering that he'd gone for the wrong one anyway.

Try number two was almost worse. He managed to retrieve the flimsy piece of fabric off his bride without accidentally shooting anyone,, but as soon as he tossed it into the crowd-directly into Havoc's grasp-he heard Hughes laugh through his still occasional tears.

"Looks awfully familiar, doesn't it, my beautiful Gracia?" Roy shot a look from Riza, to Hughes, to a very panicked Havoc, back to Riza.

"I had to have something borrowed. It's part of the ceremony." He turned bright red and swept her off the chair and into his arms, burying his face in the long hair by her ear to hide the shade of "lobster" slowly fading from his cheeks.

"I love you but that was...gross. Maes and Gracia's, really?"

"Your reaction was perfect."

"Glad to know me being disturbed amuses you."

"You weren't thinking clearly, it couldn't be helped. The fact you were surprised by my gun means you were distracted enough for me to need it." Well, she had a point there...

Roy put Riza down, still a bit pink, and she reached for his hand. They exchanged a single look, which seemed to do the job of an entire conversation. Everyone, even Winry, had witnessed their 'talks' but it was always a surreal sight.

"We haven't been dodging your questions on purpose, really, but we've been hiding for so long it just comes naturally." Riza explained to the crowd with a shrug, and Roy continued without missing a beat.

"I've known Riza since I was 16 and haven't stopped thinking about her since. The first time I asked her to marry me, she said no." She rolled her eyes, not expecting him to be _so_ honest.

"The second time, he had a more convincing argument. We also weren't kids." Riza smiled at the memory. Everyone looked stunned. They were full of surprises, and damn good actors. Not all attendees were aware her father had been Mustang's tutor and that they'd known each other for _that_ long. "We kept putting it off, convinced the laws would change. But they're not, and we're not leaving the military."

"I proposed 4 years ago, today. And 12 years ago, today." They had their own reasons for the particular date. "And then I proposed that we stop waiting. So….here we are. In the morning, this never happened. Eventually we'll be able to gather you all together 'for real' but I was tired of not being married to this woman."

"We'll get those Fraternization Laws turned around as soon as possible, I'm expecting many great grandchildren!" Taking a cue from Christmas, who saw how quickly this could go downhill, the quartet in the corner of the ballroom started playing softly, a cue for the couple to take the floor.

"May I have this dance?" Roy held out his hand and they stepped into the center of the ballroom. They were incredibly graceful, which surprised none of the guests. Anyone who had seen them fight knew, they had a sixth sense for the other.

"You know, I didn't think you were serious." Riza smirked, looking up at Roy as he spun her away from him and back against his chest. "You were 17, and, if I'm not mistaken, drunk for the very first time."

"I was definitely serious, but also, that second part." They both laughed and he leaned his forehead against hers, still gliding along the floor without thinking about it.

"We got there, it just took longer than you expected." She bit her lip to keep from laughing again. "Which is probably for the best, we were a _little_ young."

"I definitely remember promising to wait until we were older!" It was a running joke, as he'd admitted to only remembering pieces of that night. Which was also for the best, she got to downplay how hard she'd shut him down. 15 year old Riza had had no patience for what she'd seen as simple sloppy, drunken teasing.

They continued quietly back and forth, lost to the world. The music had stopped but they had no idea and none of the guests were about to interrupt them.

"You two!" Christmas had Havoc by the arm, and she dragged him over to Rebecca. "Dance." They both looked confused, and a little terrified. "You caught the garter and the bouquet. Now get out there." A waltz began, and a few of their friends joined Roy and Riza. Some had...extra help getting there.

As Rebecca and Havoc glided around the dance floor. Havoc noticed how the skin between Rebecca's eyes furrowed and her attention was focused not on him, but on Roy and Riza.

"Is there something wrong Rebecca? Your not your usual loud, crazed self."

Havoc was surprised that he didn't receive a verbal jab back for the insult, instead Rebecca seemed to deflate somewhat.

"I just don't understand what Riza sees in him. Sure, he has good intentions for wanting to become Fuhrer. But his means of getting there are less than desirable. Plus he's a notorious womanizer. Who's to say he won't leave her heartbroken one day? She deserves way better than him."

"Colonel Mustang is better than that!" The tone in Havoc's voice caused Rebecca to turn her attention away from the glowing bride and groom, surprise etched into her features by Havoc's tone.

"You haven't spent most of your career with those two together. You haven't seen the way they interact, or how protective they are. You weren't there when Scar nearly blew the boss' brains out. And guess who was the one to kick him on his ass and save him? You haven't seen the way he defends her when people talk about her, about how she rose through the ranks like she has. If those two don't deserve to be with each other, than the whole world has lost its damn mind."

Rebecca continued to stare into Havoc's determined eyes before her own softened slightly.

"Who knew there was a romantic under that handsome blond hair." After Rebecca spoke she regretted her words..the determination faded from Havoc's face, replaced with a cocky smile.

"So I'm handsome, eh?" He leaned forward slightly.

Rebecca hid her embarrassment behind a glare, before pulling Havoc across the floor.

"Hey, I thought I was supposed to lead?!"

"And you." Christmas gestured to Maria and Denny. "You keep looking at her and would be a good match. Ask her to dance." Denny turned, panicked as she disappeared as quickly as she appeared.

He sputtered a few times before giving up on words, instead turning red and holding his hand out. Maria smiled and took it, leading him out to the floor.

Ed leaned against the wall, trying to hide his smile. He might not understand Hawkeye but she seemed pretty happy. Even though everyone was older than they were, he felt strangely at home. Al seemed to feel the same, like they'd fallen in the middle of a huge family and had been welcomed with open arms. One that just happened to be comprised of half the military. He kept forgetting that that night though, he'd never seen all of his superior officers so...normal.

"Ed!" _Oh, no. No, no no.._

"Why haven't you asked Winry to dance?" Maes popped out from behind Alphonse. Edward turned and glared.

"I don't want to dance." He growled, and Hughes realized the kid was pretty much a mini-Mustang, much to his delight. He'd have to tell Roy later, he'd blow a gasket.

"Too bad!" Hughes was so persistent. Ed whipped his head back and forth looking for salvation. Where was Gracia? Wasn't she supposed to keep him from doing stuff like this? He opened his mouth to protest again when something collided with his leg, knocking him forwards towards Winry.

"Wha-" He looked down to see Hayate run past as he fell. Edward barely caught himself in time and Winry braced herself against his shoulders. He steadied himself by grabbing her waist and immediately looked alarmed.

"You kids are halfway there." Hughes nodded approvingly. "Now just stay that way, and move your feet back and forth a little. It's called a dance, I promise you'll enjoy it."

Gracia had given up on trying to put Elicia back to bed and hadn't realized how long she'd been gone until she saw how her husband had cornered poor Edward and Winry. "Why don't you go play with Al, Elicia?" Gracia suggested, delivering her to the boy, going for Hughes in the same motion.

"Come on dear, I'd like to dance." She smiled at him, and Maes gave the kids a thumbs up and an encouraging nod before his wife removed him from their immediate area. "Maes," she chastised quietly under her breath. "Edward's not Roy, stop tormenting him like he is." That was his charming, smart, lovely Gracia, able to read him like a book.

"My beautiful Gracia, you can't deny that those two have chemistry!"

"But that doesn't mean you have to force them together like that Maes. Let it happen naturally, okay? Just look at them, they'll get there."

Hughes gave his wife an affectionate smile.

"How do you always know what to say?"

Gracia just shrugged her shoulders playfully before Maes guided her across the dance floor, narrowly avoiding Maria and Denny.

Roy begrudgingly handed Riza off to the rest of his team members a few times as the dancing continued before reclaiming her for the rest of the night. Even Maes stole a dance with Riza, much to Roy's (not so hidden) jealousy. Edward and Winry even danced a few times, much to Maes' delight, before becoming too self conscious and going back to their spot with Al and Elicia. Alphonse spun the toddler around, who squealed with joy at the fact she had her own knight in shining armour.

Laughter filled the ballroom as time ticked by, everyone enjoying the lively atmosphere. They'd all lost track of time when a butler appeared to escort everyone into the grand dining room. The walls were cream accented with gold, and candelabras highlighted the room, much like the rest of the Armstrong mansion. Guests sat down to a feast grand enough to feed a whole platoon, not the small party they'd gathered. The foods ranged from an assortment of salads and soups, to countless side dishes, not to mention three large roasts. Surprisingly no flames were shot across the table, or food thrown, the entire dinner. Probably due to the people in question either stuffing their faces or admiring their lover from over their drinks. Quite a few matches had been made that evening and Christmas looked awfully pleased with herself.

Dessert followed dinner and there was enough sugar there to give any dentist a heart attack. Of course Elicia took her chance, with her parents being too distracted over telling embarrassing stories about the groom to notice her sneak a couple extra bits of candy. They'd forgone an official cake, pointing out that they'd already done a fair amount of conspicuous things and the purchase of a wedding cake wouldn't exactly work in their favour. They loaded their guests with sweets and a promise that they'd get an "unnecessarily large" one, in Riza's words, to compensate when they were allowed to go public. Ed pouted, but Al was excited...maybe he'd have his body back in time to be able to try some.

When everyone had eaten the butler announced that fireworks would be displayed from the back porch.

"Alright everyone, move outside for the Armstrong family firework show!" Alex bellowed as he lead the group through the grand doors.

"You might want to ask your brother for a boost there Fullmetal, there are a lot of tall people present, I don't you to miss out." Roy spoke as he walked beside Edward.

"I'm tasting blood after biting my tongue all night to keep from giving you a piece of my mind. I'm doing this for Hawkeye."

"Why don't you just admit it, you like me." Roy rocked on his heels with a smile and his hands in his pockets.

"You know, I don't recall you making any promises to not pick on me like I did." You could hear Edward's teeth grinding as he spoke.

"That's because I didn't." Roy spoke with a shrug. The grin that Edward loathed, but had gotten used to and even fond of was plastered on his face.

"Bastard." Edward spat.

Roy laughed and gave his hair a ruffle as he followed the crowd outside, leaving a fuming Ed behind.

" _I'm sorry Hawkeye but that was the last straw. The Bastard deserves what's coming to him."_ Ed rolled up his sleeves and stomped after the crowd and caught sight of a box of unused fireworks out of the corner of his eye. They were just sitting to the far side of the large balcony….barely noticeable in the shadows. He'd found his revenge.

"The Colonel's so damn dramatic…. let's give him a taste of his own medicine." Edward chuckled and headed over to the box. His training was about to backfire on his mentor.

The party goers gathered around the edge of the large balcony, some choosing to lean against the rails, while others sat on the stairs leading down into the garden and pool area.

As the crowd's chatter died down the fireworks began. Large explosions of white, blue, green, and red lit up the sky. The courtyard was filled with snaps and pops of the fireworks as well as the ohh's, ahh's, and the occasional squeal of excitement from Elicia, who was nestled in her big sister's arms. There was no way to keep a three year old away from fireworks. They could've been setting them off in Drachma and she still would have heard.

As the show continued Alphonse noticed something strange.

"Winry... have you seen Brother?"

"Last I saw he was talking to the Colonel, before we came out here." She narrowed her eyes, suddenly on the same page as Al. Something was fishy.

Alphonse turned around to face the Colonel, who was standing behind Riza at the center of the balcony, his tux jacket draped over her shoulders and arms wrapped around her tightly. She was leaning her head back against his chest, hands covering his. Was this how they wanted to act all the time? Al might not have a heart, but he had a soul, and it hurt to understand how much they had sacrificed so far to follow Mustang's dream.

"Sir, have you seen Ed?"

When Roy turned to respond, it was easy to tell he was annoyed at having to even move an inch from Riza, though his grip never wavered from her waist.

"Sorry Alphonse, but I haven't seen him."

"Please tell me you didn't antagonize him Roy." She turned in his arms, giving him 'the look'.

Roy paled slightly.

"I don't know if I would consider it _antagonizing,_ per-say…"

"Roy…"

Just then a flash of blue could be seen out of the corner of their eyes. They quickly turned to see a sinister looking Edward, holding one of the lit torches littering the garden, a giant firework at his feet. Aimed directly at Roy.

"Brother! What are you doing?!"

"This is what you get you jackass!" Before anyone could make a move towards him Edward had lit the fuse, igniting the firework.

"Everybody duck!" Riza shouted as she shoved Roy to the side as the firework grazed past his chest. It continued forward until it collided with one of the many golden, flexing Armstrong statues that littered the garden, erupting into a kaleidoscope of colour and confetti.

After the light show died down, the attendees all turned their attention to a slightly worried Edward.

"You almost hit my wife Fullmetal!" Roy glared as he sat up on his knees. Even him finally able to admit Riza was his wife didn't calm his ire at all.

"That was strictly aimed at you!"

He was met with a growl from the seething groom.

"Roy… Hand me your gloves." Riza calmly requested as she reached for her husband's hands, his ignition gloves already in place. It was amazing how discreetly he could put the damn things on.

"Sure I'll give them to you. After I ROAST THIS SHRIMP!" Roy bolted from his spot and charged towards Edward. Edward, sensing his impending doom, booked it into the garden. Lines of flames barely missing him.

"You're actually trying to hurt me?!" He shouted over his shoulder. The Colonel was gaining on him and he picked up speed. Who knew the pencil pusher could run.

"Yes I am! You nearly hit my Riza!"

"It wouldn't have hurt either of you! I was just getting you back for all the insults!"

The party goers listened as screams of panic and walls of fire emerged from sections of the garden.

"Oh, Brother." Alphonse spoke with a shake of his head.

Riza sighed from beside him in agreement as she stood and dusted off her dress, sliding Roy's coat off her shoulders, folding it over the edge of the railing.

"Come along Alphonse. Let's get those two under control before they set the entire estate on fire. I personally don't want to be on the end of any of the Armstrong's wrath."

No one noticed that Riza had slid her gun from under her dress until she casually approached the battle ground, firing a warning shot first at Roy and then at Ed. It wasn't the first time she'd sent a bullet in his direction and wouldn't be the last but it was effective, both stopping in their tracks.

"And what exactly are you two doing?" Riza questioned, her gun still in hand and Alphonse standing behind her.

"Just teaching Fullmetal here a little lesson." He could tell she was less than amused, but glad neither had hurt the other.

"If this is how you treat me, I worry for your future children. Unless you are useless on more than just rainy days..."

Just as Roy was about to wring Edward's neck, Riza's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"That's enough from both of you."

Both alchemists exchanged a glare before Roy broke eye contact to go over and apologize profusely to his wife, while Edward stomped over to his brother.

After both received their lectures, a voice broke through the night that sent chills down everyone's spines.

"Mustang! Elric!"

At hearing the rage imbued in Major General Armstrong's voice Ed ducked behind Alphonse, while Roy casually shirked behind Riza, using her as a human shield.

"I can fix everything." Ed mumbled, staring at his shoes. He hadn't met Olivier before but he had the good sense to be scared of her. Mustang was, after all, and that was no small feat.

"Of course you will and Mustang is helping."

"What can matchbox over here do?! He can't do anything beside light Havoc's smokes!"

Roy stepped out from behind Riza and rolled his shoulders back. He received questionable looks from everyone except Riza as he walked over to Alphonse, his hands casually in his pockets.

"Do you think I can borrow a piece of chalk from you Alphonse?"

"Ah.. certainly Colonel." Alphonse reached into a pocket stitched in his apron before handing the chalk to Roy.

As they watched him walk over to a crater that was blasted into the ground, Edward heard a snicker behind him and turned to Riza.

"What are you laughing about Lieutenant?"

"It's just you all have the same look on your face. You know Roy started out learning alchemy just like you. He doesn't _just_ know Flame alchemy." Riza tilted her chin towards Roy. Edward followed her gaze and saw the older man crouched on the ground, completing an array. He pressed his hands down and blue light emitted from the ground, the hole filling in completely in moments.

"Don't just stand there Fullmetal. Lend me a hand with this." Roy called as he moved on to another crater.

"I think you can handle this yourself." Just as Edward finished his sentence, he felt cold hard steel pushed against the side of his neck.

"You helped him create this mess. You WILL help clean it up." Olivier didn't lower her sword until he nodded, pale as a ghost.. Edward gulped before squeaking out a "Sir, yes sir!" and getting to work.

"I'm terribly sorry for all the damage caused by these two tonight General. As you can see they are a handful." Riza spoke as she turned to Olivier as she sheathed her sword.

"As long as it's repaired there's no harm done Hawkeye. Just know that if your husband becomes to much of a pain to send him up North. I'll help straighten him up."

Hawkeye responded with a ghost of a smile.

"I'll keep that in mind." Riza then turned to a silent Alphonse and Winry, who were still intimidated by the eldest Armstrong.

"Come on you two. They can return to the party once they fix their mess." Riza followed Olivier back to the manor, Alphonse trailing behind. The guests had the good sense not to question why, upon Roy and Edward's return, one was covered in soot and the other was sporting a torn pant leg. Once the incident was settled and Roy and Edward changed, they rejoined the group to continue the night. Everyone was blissfully, yet actively, ignoring the clock. Ranks would be reinstated and relationships hidden all too soon without counting down the minutes on top of it.

As dawn approached, the party began to disperse and wander upstairs to their rooms. Roy had chosen Friday for a reason; everyone was going to need some time to rest and sleep off more than a few hangovers. Grumman motioned to Riza after she said goodnight to Gracia. "I have something for you." He gestured to her wedding ring, something she'd have to remove and hide soon. "Your birthday is coming up." There was a twinkle in his eye.. "I'm so glad I found your mother's jewelry in time to give you her favourite ring." In a break from her usual reserved demeanour RIza reached out and hugged him tightly. "You can wear it on your right hand, and If you're caught looking at it, you're simply thinking of you long gone mother and not your husband."

"Thank you, grandfather." She didn't know what else to say. So many people had done so much to make her wedding amazing and she was overwhelmed by it all.

Grumman smiled and returned her hug before patting her shoulder. "He chose well; it's clear you love it. You should be able to wear this without question."

Most of the small party had retired for the night, and most of them even made it to their rooms. Fuery was under the pool table, curled up with Hayate, and would definitely be a little worse for the wear in the morning. No one knew where Havoc and Rebecca had gone but it had been decided it was best to not ask. Riza and Roy took one more look around. Only their guardians remained, and Christmas planted a kiss on both of the newlyweds' cheeks.

"Get some sleep kids." She smiled, cupping Riza's cheek in her palm. "I am very happy for you. Make sure Roy-boy knows how lucky he is."

 _You have no idea how much I know._ He had to smile, though, his foster mother was right. There was no luckier man in the world.

"Just a minute, Mustang." Grumman stopped him, motioning for Riza and Christmas to go on ahead upstairs. "I might not have been made aware-" the subordinate was about to apologize but the General raised his hand to stop him.

"-but I understand why. That doesn't mean I don't want to contribute to your happy day. When we get back to East City, I'll have to explain this whole….event." Roy blanched for a moment and Grumman's eyes sparkled again.

"Relax." He straightened his glasses as he continued. "Your frankly ridiculous and hedonistic party, as it looks from the outside, will not be ignored." Roy was still waiting for the part where he didn't end up court martialed. "Therefore, your team will be sent to the south. Very far south. I've heard there are rumblings of revolt down by Aerugo. You will be gone for quite some time. As a form of punishment, of course." Finally, he understood what Grumman was getting at.

"...Are you…sending us on...a honeymoon?"

"Don't worry, your men and Major Armstrong WILL go with you to keep up appearances. And will also be staying far away from you and my granddaughter."

"There's no revolt?"

The older man sighed and pushed up his glasses. "You're usually quicker than this, Mustang. Just leave the details to me. You'll be allowed a few hours to pack your things and then you are all gone for about...how does a month sound?"

Roy sputtered, then grinned and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm assuming that's an order, Sir?"

"Indeed it is, indeed it is. The ride gave us plenty of time to plan." Grumman gestured in the direction where his new wife had disappeared with his foster mother.

"But, sir, you seemed to be…" 'normal' wasn't the word he was looking for. But it definitely didn't seem like they were scheming on the train. Both were being as sociable as usual, and not often with each other.

"If we couldn't multitask, Christmas and I wouldn't have gotten to where we are, now would we? Covert intelligence networks don't build themselves. Anyway, I've already made arrangements. You'll have a quick meeting with me when we return to East City, where I will pretend to yell at you, then you 7 will be sent away so you don't cause any more trouble."

Roy wasn't sure what the appropriate course of action was at that moment. He had just married his superior's granddaughter, so what did that make him to Grumman? He had no idea how to express his gratitude to his boss/in-law.

"Stop thinking so hard and just accept it, you'd get some kind of censure regardless. You bought out two train stations for an entire night, after all. Even for you that's something else." The older man paused. "All I ask is that you make her happy."

"If I don't, I deserve whatever you come up with as retribution." He would die before he disappointed Riza, but if he did, he trusted...everyone...to call him on it.

"That's what I thought. Goodnight Mustang. I expect to hear about your trip to the South over a game of chess sometime." Grumman headed towards his own room, waving over his shoulder.

Roy chuckled as he walked over to his and Riza's room, but stopped before opening the door. He'd caught a flash of blonde out of the corner of his eye. He turned and looked at Edward, who was standing at the end of the hall in nothing but a white t-shirt and boxers with a glass of water in hand.

"I sure hope these walls are thick. My ears are too innocent to hear what may or may not be going on behind that door."

Before Edward finished his sentence Roy had his gloves on. Not even a beat later a door swung open and he felt Riza grab him by his arm, dragging him inside, much to the blonde teenager's joy.

"Bastard's whipped alright."

Roy practically fell backwards as she pulled him into their room. "Hey! I was just about to-"

"I know what you were just about to do." Riza smirked. "And you tried to murder him plenty tonight, I'm sure you'll be able to get him back soon."

They would probably never be done taunting the other. Roy started to undo his tie and Riza moved to large, east-facing window across the room. She leaned against the sill, looking out across the grounds. The sky was already tinted pink and orange, and she hadn't realized exactly how long their party had lasted. The beauty of the sunrise had her distracted for a moment until she realized what that meant.

Riza felt Roy rest his head on her shoulder and she pulled his arms around her. "It's morning." They knew they'd have to face the inevitable but she'd been able to mostly push it to the back of her mind.

"It's not." Roy gently turned her until she was facing him, resting his hand on her cheek. "Not until we go to sleep and then wake up. It's still tonight until then." He kissed her and gave her that grin, that one that had never failed to cheer her up. "Besides, I don't know about you, but I'm not that tired yet." The glint in his eye as he slid the delicate clip out of her bangs gave away any intentions that weren't already obvious.

"Good, because neither am I. But Roy?" He stopped playing with the zipper on the back of her dress and gave her his full attention.

"Let's sleep in."


	4. An Evening in 1920

_A/N- We're a day late but that's a wrap folks! Both of us would like to thank everyone for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following! We had so much fun going back and researching the Brotherhood timeline to get as many details and stay as true to the_ __ _original storyline as we could, the only detail different is their marriage (if only it WAS part of the timeline)._

 _Thanks again for the reads and reviews, we hope you had as much fun reading as we did writing :)_

 _ **PurpleMaple and AllisonHargreeves**_

 _ **Epilogue- An Evening in 1920**_

[Alphonse]

"Brother, stop fidgeting." He had had much longer than I did to learn how to tie a tie, but it still looked awful. Somehow there were three knots, all of them different shapes and sizes.

"I've tried to tell him that all day, Al, but he insists it's fine." Winry shook her head. I think she got used to his stubbornness before we even hit double digits but sometimes she still had the look that meant she wanted and intended to hit him over the head. Captain Hawkeye had requested no weapons, though.

I walked up to my brother and started undoing his mess of a tie. We were the same height finally and it was great not to have to hear him lose his mind whenever he heard "small" or "short", or any of the other hundred words that used to set him off. Edward gloated for days when we discovered milk had nothing to do with how short he had been and saw it as a free pass to avoid it forever. It had been a long time by now but adjusting to my body again was taking longer than I expected. I didn't have to duck through doors, that was one of the toughest habit to break in the beginning. And sunburn. I thought I'd missed the sun and I had suffered for it when I first got my body back.

"There." I smiled, proud of my work. "Much better. I'm going to go see if the General needs any help.". He had shut himself off a little bit, though I saw him catch a look at Captain Hawkeye at the start of the day and his expression changed completely. Otherwise, it didn't seem like he wanted many people around him. I thought about the toast Lt. Colonel Hughes had made at the first wedding and how he had promised to be here for this one too. He'd broken his promise even though it wasn't his fault. He wouldn't want us to be sad, I knew that, but it was hard not to miss Hughes and must be even harder for the General.

I passed by Captain Hawkeye in the hallway of the church, with Gracia Hughes and Rebecca Catalina. She looked so happy, though stressed as well. "Alphonse!" She waved and stopped to talk to me but the others kept her moving, Gracia apologizing over her shoulder to me while Rebecca reminded her she hadn't finished her hair. Hawkeye cast her eyes back for a second with a look that was a clear request for a rescue but there wasn't much I could do, and I was not about to confront Rebecca.

I kept going, on a mission. There were a few official-looking people milling about and I was able to spot Ling Yao with May Chang, Xiao May perched on her shoulder as always. Lan Fan stood to Ling's side, keeping an eye on the guests, but mostly him. There were enough rumours about the two that they'd turned into the Mustang and Hawkeye of Xing.

May noticed me and waved from across the room. It was nice, how much time I'd been able to spend with her. Learning more about alkahestry was great, too... Brother constantly teased me about her, whether I was in Xing, or got a letter, or a call... I learned to ignore him, but I wouldn't deny that I was eager to dance with her. I smiled and waved back, turning a corner in what I was beginning to suspect wasn't a church but a maze.

I finally found my way to General Mustang's door and knocked. Lt. Colonel Havoc opened the door, and on seeing me, waved me in. "Come on in kiddo. Roy, we got a visitor."

"Hi General!" He sighed in what sounded like relief.

"Oh, good, I was worried you were your brother."

"Nope! Winry's keeping an eye on him. Don't worry, he's promised to behave this time."

"He promised that last time too…" I laughed, and Havoc joined in.

"Not this time, I promise! You'll see."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Instead of an intimate party of loved ones, Mustang and Hawkeye's second wedding was a large ordeal inside a church, with much of the military and more than a few foreign dignitaries curious to see the famous bachelor Flame Alchemist tie the knot. It was a circus and more or less a networking opportunity for Mustang and their guests, not exactly romantic.

I had a feeling Hawkeye was keeping sane by thinking about the first wedding. It was easy to tell that was what Mustang was doing. Earlier I'd witnessed him absentmindedly staring off into space and mumbling about whether or not the hedges in the garden were tall enough. Hawkeye was wearing the same dress, something I didn't think she'd kept. Pretty much all evidence of their wedding in East City was destroyed and I'd assumed that had been as well.

I left Havoc and Mustang's room when one of the wedding planners Grumman had hired said to get in position. I gave Mustang one last encouraging smile before walking down the hall to the sanctuary. I found my seat near the front with my brother and Winry, and tried to spot May while I sat down. There were just too many people, and she was small enough that I definitely would have to wait to find her, there was no way she'd be visible above….anyone. After all the guests were seated Mustang walked down the aisle and waited at the alter. He was trying to look cool and collected and not doing well at either.

There were no bridesmaids, and no groomsmen. General Mustang stood by himself and those of us in the crowd who actually knew him understood why. The rest were lost but were offered no explanations. It was so strange to compare the stiff scene in front of me to the breezy night in the garden. I had never heard them complain, though. Not many people married the love of their life twice.

Captain Hawkeye walked down the aisle with Fuhrer Grumman at the organ's cue, immediately turning heads and gathering appreciative glances. The Hawks Eye was nearly as well known as the Flame Alchemist but only a few in the massive crowd had seen her in anything except a uniform.

Elicia led the way as the flower girl, understanding what she was doing and without Winry's help this time. Hayate, loyal as ever, sat waiting with their rings with Mustang.

I looked away from Captain Hawkeye to General Mustang. How could he be so nervous? He looked like she was going to run in the opposite direction and leave him stranded at the altar. They'd done this before, they'd already been married for years. And yet he had the exact same awed smile and twinge of fear in his eyes.

He watched her in a daze that had half the crowd already emotional. I didn't blame them, I was feeling the same. It might just be a formality but it still meant something. They had a local officiate perform the wedding itself, and planned the reception on Fuhrer Grumman's estate. Everything was immaculate, beautifully decorated, but certainly not by Mustang and Hawkeye. They stared at each other so deeply they probably forgot we were all there. They seemed able to pay attention a little better this round but still looked taken by surprise when it was their turn to speak.

Hawkeye's vows were first and before she started to say anything Mustang smiled, his fingers laced through hers. He gently rubbed the backs of her hands with his thumbs; I wasn't sure if it was a calming gesture for her or him but it appeared to work on both.

"Before you, it seemed impossible to connect with anyone. There was no one who I could really be myself with. You were hard to avoid as my father's apprentice, even though I tried. But you just wouldn't leave me alone." They smiled at each other, remembering their first days together. "For all the things I'm unsure of, I'm certain of one: I love you. You are everything that I will ever need, and I know that no matter what happens we will always stand side by side."

Then, Mustang's turn. He took a deep breath, eyes not leaving her for even a fraction of a moment.

"People always say to find the thing that fills you with joy and to hold onto it for as long as you can. I have no intention of ever letting you go. Riza, you are absolutely the most amazing person I have ever met, you truly never cease to amaze me. You make me a better man, and happier than I thought possible. I love you more than I could ever explain."

They exchanged rings with ease this time, and when they kissed and were introduced as husband and wife, most of the crowd had, at the very least, teared up. A lot of them were our friends, and if I wasn't mistaken…

"Brother, do you need a handkerchief?" He glared at me for a second before whipping around so I was talking to the back of his head.

"No, of course not." Winry smiled and looped her arm through his; he was definitely lying. "Just took them long enough. They were bound to get discovered eventually, it was only a matter of time and it would be annoying to deal with a new boss." He enthusiastically jumped in the line leaving the church, probably to escape us. He could deny it all he wanted, but Brother was just as happy as we were.

The first reception might be at Fuhrer Grumman's but the real one was later, after the formal one had mercifully ended. I was already bored, counting down to when the actual party at the Armstrong manor would begin.

And it really was a bore until Ed approached me, trying to look inconspicuous. He never was good at that and was even worse now that he was taller. "Hey, Al, I, um, could use your help. You know how I was supposed to hold onto Mustang's watch? Well…" He turned his pockets inside out. No wonder he looked pale. I agreed to help him try to find it, but the Fuhrer's home was huge and Ed, refusing to be left out like last time, had been running all over helping Captain Hawkeye with Winry. It could be anywhere.

"How can Brother lose something he was carrying on him?" I murmured to myself, opening the door to one of the many extra rooms in my search for the state-issued watch. My search was unsuccessful and I turned to leave but I froze when I saw the doorknob turn.

I ducked into a closet, grateful I had my body back so I could actually fit. Mrs. Hughes, Mustang, and Hawkeye walked in and sat down just out of sight.

"I wasn't sure how you would feel about seeing all this today, but Maes planned to give these to you after your real wedding. I think it's what he would have wanted, I hope that's alright."

"Gracia…" Mustang's voice was so soft. I wondered if he was crying. Whatever it was, it was a tone I hadn't heard before.

"I'm sorry Roy…"

"No, no. This is incredible."

"This one here was the first album, but after the wedding, he made this one with all his new ideas. And this one, which spent the last 6 years locked in a safe deposit box in West City."

Total silence.

"How in the world did he manage this?"

"I helped, and Kain Fuery did as well. Kain actually had the camera. He seemed to have a feeling something important was going to happen...he knows you well. Maes was determined to make sure you would never have to forget a single thing about that day. Between the two of them, they were unstoppable."

There was another moment of silence, broken by Hawkeye laughing. "Really, how _did_ he manage this? He's practically in front of us!"

"Both of you were distracted the entire night. He wasn't being that discreet, honestly. Oh! these are my favourites."

"I look awfully handsome." Mustang sounded more than a little smug.

"Certainly less grey." I covered my mouth so I wouldn't laugh. The (very) few light hairs that had started to appear along his temple made him crazy, and from what I noticed Captain Hawkeye found his vanity endlessly funny.

There were periods of quiet, followed by comments on whatever they were seeing, and lots of laughter mixed with sniffles. I wanted to know what they were looking at but I didn't want to intrude more than I already had, even if I was intruding by accident...

"Hey Boss! ….Uh, you guys ok?" Havoc must have snuck in, I hadn't heard the door open but I'd also been focused on remaining hidden. And maybe on their conversation a little too.

"Oh-uh-yes." The General sounded choked up and cleared his throat. "Should I be asking you the same? Any crisis?" There was a 75% chance something disastrous would happen whenever more than 4 of their loved ones were in the same place.

"Nah, everyone just wants to see you and say congrats. Haven't seen either of your for a bit."

"Fair enough, we can't hide forever." I heard everyone get up and move towards the door. I froze as Hawkeye and Mrs. Hughes stopped in front of my hiding place. I started to figure out an apology while I waited to be discovered.

"Thank you, Gracia. This is the best gift we could possibly ask for."

"I'm so glad. Maes was so honoured to have been part of this the first time. And I'm sure he's proud now. Knowing him, he's probably doing cartwheels." Mrs. Hughes laughed quietly. She had this amazing ability to sound happy despite anything that happened to her. Her brave face was something I had always admired and could never quite accomplish.

General Mustang called Mrs. Hughes name, and she moved in his direction while Captain Hawkeye hung back for a moment.

"Thank you, Maes." It was so quiet you could barely call it a whisper.

I waited until I knew they were definitely gone before sneaking back out into the room. I spotted three photo albums on a table out of the corner of my eye. I knew I really shouldn't look, but I was too curious after everything I'd heard.

One album was just...strange, obviously from the mind of Lt Colonel Hughes. Seemingly random pictures of locations had notes jotted down around them. Most of them were just 'rain?' This must be the one he'd mentioned making 6 years ago. Flipping through, the rest of the images were much the same. I moved on to the next. It was similar to the previous one, but looked a little more like the wedding that had already happened. Except much more over the top. He must have started planning the second wedding the moment the first ended.

I gasped when I saw the cover of the third.

 _ **Roy and Riza Finally Got Married! September 20, 1914**_

There was no way he'd do that, it was so reckless! Their careers were on the line back then! But then I remembered...Mrs. Hughes said she'd put something in a lock box, and across the country too.

There were so many pictures, from the whole ceremony and party. The very first snapshot was of Hawkeye, before they'd left the garden to start the wedding. She was distracted, looking over her shoulder with a small smile on her face. What had caught her attention was out of frame, but I guessed it was the General. He was on the page across from her, Hughes straightening his tie and the General looking out of frame beyond his friend. Hughes had positioned the photos so they were seemingly looking at each other and I smiled. Yep, sounded like him.

There was one taken as they all lined up at the altar. Mrs. Hughes was not kidding about Mustang and Hawkeye being too distracted to notice much of anything outside each other. I remembered the ceremony, and how Granny had to repeat herself three times before the General heard the prompt for his vows.

There was even a picture of me, Ed, and Winry. We were standing together and I had my hands up, gesturing so quickly they were blurry. Ed was smiling at Winry, both of them blushing. For the longest time, I didn't think they would ever just admit they had feelings for each other, and I was happy to be wrong. Though when Winry told me what Ed had said to her, I nearly picked up a wrench myself. I did yell at him though...why did he have to bring equivalent exchange into more or less asking her to marry him?

I laughed out loud at one of 2nd Lt Fuery under the Armstrong's pool table with Hayate. He looked comfortable there, but the next morning had been a little rough for him. For a lot of the adults actually. They had ended up all sleeping into the afternoon, and many on the train home. Next to the photograph of Fuery, Rebecca Catalina and Havoc were caught in the midst of sneaking out the door to the garden behind the mansion. An awful lot of couples had to learn how to avoid the frat laws after the wedding, but they had expert tutors.

It was picture after picture, things I didn't think I'd ever get to see again or hadn't seen at all. Where they'd gotten so much film, I wasn't sure we'd ever know.

At one point Hughes had managed to grab both newlyweds, one arm around each and Gracia on Hawkeye's other side. Elicia perched on Roy's shoulder, her arms around his neck. All were laughing so hard it looked almost painful. Fuery had to be either a master spy or...that seemed like the only option for a few of the snapshots, this one in particular. There weren't any captions on the pictures, maybe for Hawkeye and Mustang to do together with him. But this picture, this was the exception. Underneath Hughes had simply scrawled _"Family."_

Most photos seemed chronological, though some were thrown in where I assumed Hughes would have deemed romantic or artistic. Close to the start was Mustang laying his coat on Hawkeye's shoulders followed by the two standing on the balcony, his arms wrapped protectively around her as they looked ahead at the fireworks. Another of Maria and Denny Brosh dancing the most awkward dance. They'd barely gotten better before their own wedding-the first to happen once the frat laws had been abolished. There was one of when the General had let fire surround the Captain, spinning around her. It was something Brother scoffed at but admitted to being impressed by when he was sure Mustang couldn't hear.

I laughed again when I turned the page...Lt. Colonel Hughes had dedicated an entire spread to General Mustang trying to kill Brother after the fireworks incident, chronicled beyond General Armstrong with her sword against Ed's neck. It was nice to see Ed and the General working together to fill in the craters they'd left throughout the property. Whoever had the camera at the time even caught them laughing. It happened more now that they had both grown up a little but seeing them like that, back then, was so rare.

I discovered my favourite towards the end. It was during their first dance, after the music stopped but they had no idea. A still image couldn't do them justice, but they were staring at each other with so much love I couldn't think of a way to even describe it. I thought back to when I was little, wondering if they were what love was supposed to be. I had been right but only to an extent...Mustang and Hawkeye fell into a category usually reserved for fairy tales and tragic plays. At least, those were the only times I saw anything that even came close.

I wasn't surprised when they immediately went back to normal after their month in the south, we all knew how they'd mastered hiding their emotions. Still, it was like nothing had ever happened. The only evidence surfaced two months later, when General Grumman gave Captain Hawkeye her 'mother's' ruby ring as a present. No one batted an eye...she didn't seem like the jewelry type but she also never removed her earrings so it wasn't terribly out of character. I wondered how many other people knew where those earrings came from.

I was happy back then to know they were together but at the same time Mustang and Hawkeye had to pretend they didn't love each other…I couldn't imagine how hard it had to have been to deal with every day for 6 whole years, on top of the time they'd been in love before that. Finally, they didn't have to hide anymore. Captain Hawkeye didn't have to lie about the ring she wore on her right hand and General Mustang didn't have to hide his on a chain under his collar.

Staying much longer would be risky, even though I wanted to look at everything in all the albums. When I peeked out of the door and didn't see anyone, I dashed back down the hall and right into Brother.

"Did you find it?"

"Yeah, I forgot I gave it to Winry to hold onto because-"

"-because you were afraid you'd lose it. And you did anyway."

"Pretty much."

The group who considered this the second wedding turned especially rowdy, and quickly, during the formal reception. Rebecca and Havoc had masterminded the plan to act ridiculous to get the strangers to leave, and it worked. Grumman, Hawkeye and Mustang quietly edged us into the backyard and everyone else out the door, joking about soldiers who couldn't hold their liquor.

About 20 of us stayed behind to go to the Armstrong's. Everyone... well...almost, from the original wedding was there with the addition of Ling, Lan Fan, and May. I wished _everyone_ was with us but things only turn out that way in plays.

At least this time General and Major Armstrong were aware beforehand, and fireworks were not included. Otherwise though, the reception was pretty similar. They'd already taken care of most of the traditions at the real wedding, forgoing garters and bouquets now and making it feel even more like a party. This was just one where everyone happened to be in formalwear. I was so happy they did dinner and dancing again though. I could finally do the same things the others had been able to before. The food was as delicious as it had looked and there was so much of it I barely had a chance to try it all...even Ling looked full.

There was one tradition they'd missed the first time around that they weren't going to skip. Two of the Armstrong staff brought out a towering cake. I guess they didn't forget their promise to make the dessert huge, because there was pretty much a tier for each person at the table. Instead of a standard cake topper with a bride and groom standing in some overly sentimental pose, theirs was simple, with them back to back like always. It was detailed enough to be uncanny if they were wearing uniforms. Mustang had a glint in his eye as it was removed and they each cut a slice of cake. Hawkeye raised her brow as a challenge, a very obvious _hit me with that cake and it is the last thing you do._ He wisely began to cut pieces for everyone.

It had already been getting late when the party started, but that seemed right, considering how late the first had gone. We were still having the same party with more pomp and circumstance just like Hughes had predicted.

"Toast time and I want to go first. If I could have everyone's attention please." We all looked to see Havoc standing at the bottom of the grand staircase. His trademark smoke was dangling from his lips and a whiskey glass in his hand. At least it wasn't lit.

"A lot of crazy shit happened since Mustang and Hawkeye got married last time. Heard you almost gave yourselves away when everything went down on that Promised Day. You must've slipped up a few other times but there's only one I can think of." They looked at each other, wondering what he was referring to I guess. They didn't know? "So we all know I ended up out of commission for a while. That was not a great day for any of us. Hate to lose battles, after all. Pretty sure Mustang was dead for a second. But Hawkeye screamed and somehow he jumped up like he hadn't just been stabbed and burned to find her. That's real love, when you're bleeding out and you don't care."

"But you didn't die, and Hawkeye was ok. Yeah, Al and I didn't come out great but important thing is we're here now in one piece." He took a sip of whiskey and looked ready to keep going, starting to smile.

Breda saw all the directions Havoc could take in this less-than-sober state and gently guided him over to Catalina, who was standing to the side, slightly embarrassed at her fiance's rambling.

"I'd like to say ". Everyone turned to look at Brother. A few people looked at me and I shrugged, just as surprised as they were. He shifted in place and stared down at his feet.

"It's been about 10 years since you guys showed up at Granny's house. You yelled at us first which made sense, we screwed up pretty bad. But then you helped us. Every step of the way, until we got our bodies back-and after that too. I know you had to deal with a lot behind the scenes to keep Al and me out of trouble. You never gave up on us, even though there were plenty of times you probably should've. Mustang, Hawkeye, you were...the closest thing we had to parents. Maybe that's why I was always mad at you. Dads are supposed to be jerks, I think." Ed didn't look up but he was smiling.

"Having to see you these last couple years sucked. You're both way too good at acting but you shouldn't have had to. Not after everything you'd already had to do and go through. I guess...I don't know. I guess I'm just happy that you're finally allowed to be happy. Openly happy. You deserve it. Oh, you know what I mean." Ed's gaze remained on the floor so he didn't see how Mustang's features softened and was unprepared for Hawkeye's hug.

"Thank you, Edward." We saw them every time we came through Central, and General Mustang and Ed had toned down their insults until they were (mostly) jokes. Hawkeye gave me a kitten when I got my body back, promising it would get along with Black Hayate when I was in better shape and able to travel again. We thought they knew how much they meant to us.

"Pretty sure they're supposed to be jerks, yeah." Mustang smirked and Brother finally looked up at everyone.

"Well then, you're father of the year." I watched for a moment to make sure they wouldn't turn on each other, but they seemed fine. Brother had grown up, and General Mustang had as well. When I was satisfied that death and destruction weren't imminent, I found May with the rest of the party from Xing. Ling loudly excused himself and Lan Fan, winking at me like he was channeling Hughes.

"Hi May." I hadn't gotten to spend as much time with her as I'd wanted, but it had been so much fun to be able to actually dance.

"Alphonse!" She smiled happily and made a face at Ling's retreating back. She started to ask me about Havoc's toast, and we settled into comfortable conversation. I didn't realize how much I'd missed her, I hadn't been to Xing for a while now and put it at the top of my to do list.

When I noticed the bride and groom were missing I took a moment from talking to May.

"Aw! How cute!" I heard murmurs coming from the balcony behind me and I peered through the glass panels to see what she was talking about. The General and Captain were standing with their arms wrapped around each other, their foreheads resting against each other's. They were talking, but I was too far away to hear, and it was better that way. They needed, deserved, their time alone after everything. I saw Mustang brush Hawkeye's bangs out of her eyes, and her gentle smile in return. After all the time I'd spent fighting alongside those two, knowing that they had each other gave me peace of mind I didn't know I needed. After all their hardships, battles, the horrors life threw at them, they still had each other.

Captain Hawkeye said something and the General beamed as he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her and spinning her in a circle. When he put her down he hugged her tightly, then went to pick her up again and, seemingly thinking better of it, kissed her. Mustang was the definition of joy and I turned away...I didn't want to trespass any longer. I smiled and asked May to dance instead.


End file.
